Sign-illuminator.



` No. '717,758. PATENTED JAN. 6, 1903.

- J. H. McMULLIN. r

SIGN ILLUMINATOR.

` APPLIOATION'FILED MAY 2, 1902,

NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. MCMULLIN, 'OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SiGN-iLLUMiNATOR.

SPECIFICATION formng part of Letters ?atent No. 717,'758, dated January6, 1903. Application filed May 2, 1902. Serial No. 10 5 ,644. (Nomodel.)

To (LZZ whom, it may cancer-n,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. MCMULLIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at "Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSign-Illuminators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a sign-illnminator or a device for illuminatingsigns and other objects, and is designed particularly to be used onstreet-cars, and particularly on the top or roof of a street-car toiliuninate the signs ordinarily carried on the ends' or sides of thecar.

The object bf my invention is to provide an improved electrio sign-illuminator of simple and inexpensive Construction to be rigidly attached infront of the sign or object to be illuminated to throw a light thereonand ny invention consists in certain novei features of construction ofmy sign-iiluminator, as will be hereinafter fully described.

erably made of Referring to the drawngs, Figur-e 1 is a perspective Viewof one end of the roof portion of a street-car of any ordinaryConstruction, showing my sign-illuninator attached thereto. Fig. 2 is afront view of my sign-illuminator shown in Fig. l, detachedylooking inthe direction of arrow a, same figure. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line3 3, Fig. '2, looking in the direction of arrow b, same figure; and Fig.4 is a cross-section on line 4 4:, Fig. 2. Figs. 2, 3, and 4: are shownon an enlarged scale.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is the top or roof portion of one endofa street-car, which may be of any ordinary Construction.

2 is a revoluble sign of ordinary Construction supported at each end ona stand 3, secured to the roof portion 1.

My sign-illuminator 4: is shown in this instance attached upon the endof the roof portion l in front of the sign 2 and with its outer edgeextending slightly beyond the edge of the root, as shown in Fig. 1.

My illuminator 4: has the body portion pref cast metal in, one piece,with The open side has preferably which are slightly inclined making theone side open. straight edges, from the center toward the ends,

illuminator of slightly-angular shape in the tion, as shown in directionof its length', or diverging from the center toward the ends, as shownin Fig. 1, on its open side. The open side of the illuminator 4 has,preferably at its central portion, a bar i', extending between its upperand lower edges, which acts as a brace The rear or closed side ot' theilluminator 4: i

is preferably of rounded shape in cross-sec Fig. 3, and the top andbottom of the iiluminator are slightly inclined from the center towardthe ends, as shown in Fig. 2.

The open side of, my illuminator 4 is preferably made with longitudinalgrooves 4" in its upper and lower ed ges to receive the edges of thepanes of gia-ss 5 or other transparent material, p s ferably two innumber, which are removable and are inserted from the ends of thesign-illuminator 4 and are held at their outer ends in this instance bya. pivoted catch 6, secured to the end of the body of the illuminator bya screw 7 and adapted to be turned up to engage the end of the pane ofglass 5 after it has been inserted in the grooves 4" to hold it inposition, as shown in Fig. 3.

To hold the inner ends of the panes of giass 5 in place, I may use aremovable bar 16, extendingin front of the bar 4', with its endsextending into notches or recesses in the upper and lower edges of theopen side of the illuminator 4:, said har 16 being Secured to the bar a'by bolts 17 and nuts18. (See Fig.4.)

The inner surface of the body of the iliu minator 4: may be paintedwhite or otherwise treated to produce a reflecting-surface.

Secured within each end of the body of the illuminator 4: is in thisinstance an electric bulh 8, connected with circuit-wires 9 in anyweil-known way.

On the under side of the body of the illuminator 4, and preferably madeintegral therewith, are two projections or lugs 10, having holes thereinfor screws 11, which secure the illuninator 4: rigidly to the roofportion 1, as shown in Fig. 1.

I preferably combine With my sign-illuminator 4 two guide-hooks 12 forthe trolleycord 13 to prevent the cord from getting out of place. Thehooks 12 are preferably Secured upon the top of the body of theilluminator a by screws 142 or otherwise.

IOO

My illnninator-sign, as above stated, has the body portion thereof madein one piece and is preferably of cast metal; but it may be made ofsheet metal or of any other suitable material, as leather-board, ifpreferred. The lights or eiectric bulbs are Secured within the bodyofthe iiln minator at each end thereof.

My sign-iliri minator is preferably attached to the end of a car, withthe closed body portion extending beyond the end, so as to serve for asupport and hearing-surface for the trolley-rope, as shown in Fig. 1.

The advantages of my improvements in sign-illuminators for street-cars,850., Will he readiiy appreciated by those skilled in the art. Beingmade in one piece and rigidly secured to the roof of the car, there isnothing to work loose or rattie or get out of order. The guide-books forthe troiley-rope, combined with my iliuminator, do away With any otherguide ordinariiy empioyed for the trolley-rope.

It will be nnderstood that the details of Construction of myimprovements in signilluninators may be varied, if desired, and it maybe attached to the roof at the side of the car to iiluminate the sidesigns as weil as at the end of the car, and it may also be used for anyother illuminating purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A sign-illuminator comprising a body portion made from a single pieceof material with one open side, the edges of said side being straightand inclined from the center toward the ends, and guide-hooks secnred tothe body portion on opposite sides of the center thereof to guide andengage the trolleycord to hold the same in position, substantiaily asdescribed.

2. A sign-illuminator, comprising a body portion made from a singlepiece of material with one side open, the edges of said side beingstraight and inclined from the center toward the ends, electric lightsor bulbs Secured within the body portion and projeeting toward eachother from the ends thereof, means for securing said illuminator inposition on the car With the body of the illuminator projecting over theedge of the car, and guidehooks Secured to the iiluminator on oppositesides of the 'center thereof and having their open portions facing eachother to thereby act as guides for a trolley-cord.

J. H. MCMULLIN.

Witnesses:

J. C. DEWEY, M. HAAS.

